1. Description leading to identification

2. Nature of soil and water conditions

3. Common uses of each species of evergreen

4. Collection of wood specimens and cones.

WOOD SPECIMENS

Specimens should be uniform in size and should show bark on one side and
heart wood as well as the outside, or sap wood. They should be about six
inches long, two inches wide on the side having the bark, and should
gradually come to an edge toward the pith, or centre. When seasoned, one
side and one edge should be polished and then oiled or varnished.
Specimens of the wood of the deciduous trees may also be prepared during
the winter.

FRUITS

During the winter months, some time should be devoted to reading and
discussing articles on general farming and fruit growing. Such articles
may be taken from books, magazines, or newspapers, and may be supplied
partly by the teacher and partly by the pupils. These articles will be
appreciated by the pupils all the more because of their studies of fruit
trees during the season. Such topics as the following may be discussed:

1. Best kind of apples, plums, bush fruits, and strawberries. Reports
from the Dominion and Provincial Departments of Agriculture.

2. Method of raising fruit trees--from seed, grafting, and budding.

3. Demonstrations in pruning. This may be done in early spring by taking
a class to a neighbouring orchard.

4. Methods of planting and cultivation.

5. Packing and storing.

6. Spraying. Much information is to be found in Horticultural Journals
and papers, and in Bulletins to be obtained from the Secretary of
Agriculture for Ontario.

Illustrated articles on gardening and fruit growing should be collected
for school use. Views of fine gardens, parks, and home grounds will be
of interest to the pupils. Simple artistic methods of ornamental
planting with trees, shrubs, vines, and herbaceous perennials can now be
introduced, and some scheme for improving the school grounds outlined.

Catalogues should be obtained soon after New Year's and, after examining
their merits, the best varieties of seed and fruit for the district
should be selected. Horticultural societies, as well as Dominion and
Provincial Departments of Agriculture, commonly give selected lists with
descriptions of the different varieties.

WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS

The training in the observation and identification of weeds and weed
seeds, which was begun in Form III, should be continued in Form